Members of the Georgia Bankers Association (GBA) have elected and installed officers and five new members to the Leadership GBA Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 program year.

Kelly Smith, senior vice president at First National Bank of Griffin, was installed as chair. Members elected Brad Sheffield, senior vice president and regional retail sales manager at Synovus Bank in Statesboro, as chair-elect.  Bill Hogan, senior credit officer at Northeast Georgia Bank in Lavonia, was elected vice chair.

"Leadership GBA is fortunate to have this group of talented bankers at the helm. Their enthusiasm and dedication to the industry are bound to make a positive impact. I look forward to their leadership of this vital part of our association," said GBA Chairman Kim Wilson, president and CEO of OneSouth Bank in Macon. 

A section of the Georgia Bankers Association, Leadership GBA supports the advancement of career bankers by providing leadership development training, serving as a forum through which career bankers can network and exchange ideas and promoting industry advocacy activities at the local, state and federal levels.

In addition, four new board members representing the association’s geographic divisions have been elected by their peers or appointed to At Large positions, and one new board member has been elected to represent GBA Associate Members. They are:

• North Group: Thomas Forsberg, market president, First Carolina Bank, Atlanta

• Central Group: Andy Clifton, senior vice president, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Sylvania

• South Group: Erika Holmes, vice president, retail banking manager, OneSouth Bank, Macon

• At-Large: Ryan Hunt, senior vice president, Classic City Bank, Athens

• Associate Member Representative: Stewart Thigpen, CEO, Steve H. Powell & Company, Statesboro